Spiritual Program

[MajestyJo]

Letting Go

To Let Go is not to stop caring
It's recognizing I can't do it for someone else.
To Let Go is not to cut myself off.
It's realizing I can't control another.

To Let Go is not to enable.
But to allow learning from natural consequences.
To Let Go is not to fight powerlessness.
But to accept that the outcome is
not always in my hands.

To Let Go is not to try to change or blame others.
It's to make the most of myself.
To Let Go is not to care for, it's to care about.
To Let Go is not to fix. It's to be supportive.

To Let Go is not to judge.
It's to allow another to be a human being.
To Let Go is not to try to arrange outcomes.
But to allow others to affect their own destinies.

To Let Go is not to be protective.
It's to permit another to face their own reality..
To Let Go is not to regulate anyone.
But to strive to become what I dream I can be.

To Let Go is not to fear less. It's to love more.


God Bless
Arlene

[MajestyJo]

This is a spiritual program not a religious one. It may bring you back to the religion you left behind or lead you to one you never knew before.

A Higher Power is Universal. He/She/It is all things to me. He is what I need Him to be.

www.andiesisle.com/He-Will-Be.html

Love this video, the words, "He will be," has always been crucial to my recovery. Trusting that my God will always be there for me.

[MajestyJo]

EVERY DAY MAY NOT BE GOOD, BUT THERE’S SOMETHING GOOD IN EVERY DAY! Enjoy the clip!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/SN5c-m45fxs

[MajestyJo]

Quote:

Today's thought is:
Where is God?

AA members have always had a difficult time explaining the "God business." We didn't want to be considered religious, but at the same time we've always believed some contact with a Higher Power is necessary for real personal growth.

There's nothing wrong for our purposes in simply visualizing God as a Higher Power that has always been within us and around us. "Before they call, I will answer," goes an old saying, and that was true even in our darkest days. Many of us can look back to realize that a certain force was moving us toward recovery long before we knew we needed any recovery. Many of us also believe that a Higher Power helped bring AA into being and move it along to become a worldwide force for good.

But God works in ways that can seem to come from chance or coincidence. Quite often, we'll find that little events had far-reaching results in our lives. When we review how such things happened, we should not conclude that this happens only to certain "special" people. All human beings are part of God's creation and can avail themselves of guidance and direction. The more serious problem is that guidance and direction are sometimes ignored or rejected.

I'll go about my affairs today with the knowledge that my Higher Power is making the important decisions in my life. I'll come out about where God wants me to be.

You are reading from the book:

Walk in Dry Places by Mel B.

Copyright 1996 by Hazelden Foundation.

As a friend of mine shared with me a few years ago, I spent many years listening to my Lower Power and look where that got me. It only stands to reason that I have Higher Power who can help me change and live in today.

[MajestyJo]

Work hard at what you like to do and try to overcome all obstacles

Laugh at your mistakes and praise yourself for learning from them

Pick some flowers and appreciate the beauty of nature

Say hello to strangers and enjoy the people you know

Don't be afraid to show your emotions laughing and crying make you feel better

Love your friends and family with your entire being they are the most important part of your life

Feel the calmness on a quiet sunny day

Find a rainbow and live your world of dreams always remember life is better than it seems.

Author Unknown to me

[MajestyJo]

Start living

Stop worrying about what you don't have and start finding real joy in what you do have. Stop agonizing over what might happen and start moving toward the best of what can happen.

All the richness of life is here today for you to touch. The limitless abundance of the universe is yours right now to experience.

Any shortcomings you come across are mostly a product of the perspective you choose. Expand your perspective and the shortcomings disappear.

Stop being afraid to fail and you'll start to consistently and spectacularly succeed. To climb the highest peak you must be willing to occasionally slide backwards.

Stop being your own worst enemy and start acting true to the deepest purpose within you. There is so much wisdom you already possess that you can use when you choose to listen to your own best advice.

Stop merely going through the motions and start living each moment with joy and meaning. Discover and fulfill the golden treasure that is your life.

-- Ralph Marston

The first line spoke to me, I spoke similar words to a friend this week. Look at what you do have, not at what you don't have. It makes for an attitude of gratitude.

[MajestyJo]

God Found Me

I believe that God found me, more than I found Him. It was similar to

watching a child walk; he falls down again and again, but it is better not

to try to help him until he comes to realize that he cannot do it alone---

and extends his hand. I had gotten myself into a postion where I had

no other place to turn; I was at a point of almost complete despair. Then,

and only then, did I honestly and simply ask Goc to help me. He came to

me instantly, and I could feel his presence,even as I do this moment.

Nashville, Tennessee

"Came To Believe" page 24 © Alcoholics Anonymous World Services

Fifteenth printing 1989

God didn't go away, I did. But for His Grace, I would not be here today.

[MajestyJo]

To a life filled with promise and the courage to fight
The enemy, ADDICTION, should it come back into sight
Arm yourself well
With the weapon of prayer
Honesty, acceptance, and a willingness to share
Value sobriety, above all, be true
Be true to God, to the program
But most of all to you!

I read this and think of the phrase, "Put on the whole armour of God." Protect yourself, do what you need to do for your sobriety.

[MajestyJo]

The first step to freedom; A difficult task
Can only be taken if you lower the masks
That hide all the shame, the pain, and the fears
Held deep down inside you for so many years.

do you think that you're ready to take that first step?
The first step to freedom; to life at its best.
It may seem so easy, so simple a test
to let go of deception; to let go of the rest.

Step one - to admit, to surrender, to dare
To face who you are and openly share
The person within with all those who care
Family and friends; the support that is there.

Honesty, hard work and prayer will prevail
In achieving a victory clear
Over denial and self pity, anger and fear
If openness, willingness, and acceptance appear.

So hold out your hand and patiently wait
For the moment you enter into God's loving gate
One step at a time, for it is never too late
To walk into freedom, to determine your fate.

Once this step has been taken, and freedom yo find
Hold tightly the promise of a live so divine
Not a life of perfection, please keep this in mind
but a life through good choices,
Has gained peace of mind.

- Lois Stargratt

Have always liked this. I put up so many barriers and blocks, it was hard to find self-honesty.

Where was I, who was I, and how did I get myself into this state of being.

Even in today, I need to go back to basics when I find things a little off in my life, be it caused by my pain, my lack of working the program to the best of my ability in today.

My life line was my group and my sponsor and they loved me back to goo health and loved me when I couldn't love myself.

For me the life line that I had to hang onto were the 12 Steps. They were a tool that I had to utilize each day, to get through my life clean and sober.

[MajestyJo]

Lifelines to sobriety, be they tenuous or strong
May often take a simple form, but are never proven wrong,
Openness and honesty; a willingness to change
May seem like such a simple task, yet so difficult to maintain.
For only you can take that step, that is needed to be free
Because that step is to turn to God, and to accept His Will, you see.

Once in touch with spirituality, cold reality will set in,
And the footwork to recovery is upon you to begin
So seize the opportunity to open up and share
Your strengths, hopes, experience with those who really care.

Remember gratitude and humility are essential qualities
That are greatly needed in your life, so you may always lead
An honest, structured program, filled with the steps that you must do
Service, meetings; above all, to thine own self be true.
Prayer and meditation, to begin and end each day
I highly recommended, a small price indeed to pay.

So live according to the Big Book; take it one day at a time.
Keep it simple. Easy does it; this will bring you peace of mind.
But the lifeline to sobriety that you will absolutely need,
Is the belief you have within yourself; for recovery to succeed.

- Lois Stargratt

There is a big difference between sober and sobriety. For me, that was the 12 Steps of recovery that are applicable to all areas of my life, no matter what my belief or disbelief in God is. It doesn't matter what substance I used, it all leads to the same soul sickness.

[MajestyJo]

Sobriety is soundness of mind.

I have to work on my soundness of mind daily.

That means my emotional sobriety. I haven't had a drink in 23 years. That means I am sober.

Do you have emotional hangovers from the day before?

Do you lay your emotions to rest when you go to bed at night or do you pick them up when you get up in the morning?

What do you do with your emotions? Do you acknowledge them? Do you ignore them? Perhaps you pick up a cigarette or decide you are hungry?

Are you feeling comfortable being with yourself or are you feeling a little antsy? Do you need to pick up a book or turn the TV on? Do the normal programs no longer satisfy your mind and your normal routine not fill up your mind. Is something leaking into your mind that you don't want there that you are wanting to avoid? Just maybe you should look at it, perhaps it is a sign.
Maybe your God is giving you a little nudge.

I thought these sights were closed. I have been telling everyone they were. The format is changed, and I am not sure if I can respond to anythings posted here, but I felt led here tonight, so there must have been a very good reason.

From my site Soundness of Mind at Yahoo.

[MajestyJo]

In God's Care

Solitude is not something you must hope for in the future. Rather, it is a deepening of the present.

-Thomas Merton

We can take a few moments, right now, to really quiet ourselves, and not think of anything. We can give our mind an unexpected rest, and let the peace of God' s care envelop us like a soft blanket.

In these moments of quiet, we discover solitude. We realize that solitude is available to us in a moment's decision. Within solitude we find God's promise of serenity, and we're renewed once again. And we can find this renewal again and again in the serenity that awaits us each moment we choose solitude.

The pace at which most of us live is so tiring, and our busyness depletes our physical, emotional, and spiritual energy hour by hour, day by day. The renewal we long for is ours; we just need to make the decision.

I'll be quiet, now, and feel renewed and in touch with God.

This is good for me today as I am going through some stress, and I know that in order to cope and deal with things, or more importantly, lovingly detach, I need that quiet and a time with the God of my understanding. It isn't easy when the person you have to detach from is living thousands of miles away, they are still in my thoughts.

It is a real gift, when we can each be in the same place or space with someone else, and not have to fill it up with words, music or sound.

[MajestyJo]

Found this site today and thought back over the many times, I have experienced an awakening in my own life.



One of the biggest for me was that my son had his own Higher Power and the biggest awareness was that I wasn't it. His recovery had to be found and worked his way and I had to detach and allow him to find his own way.



Knowing I was as powerless over his disease as I was over my own was another awakening that allowed me a lot of peace of mind. As I heard someone say, I will turn him over my Higher Power who hopefully will in turn, speak to his Higher Power, so he may find his own way.


www.naranon.ca/12signsspiritualawakening.htm

TWELVE SIGNS OF A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING



An increased tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.

Frequent attacks of smiling.

Feelings of being connected with others and nature.

Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation.

A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experience.

An unmistakeable ability to enjoy each moment.

A loss of ability to worry.

A loss of interest in conflict.

A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.

A loss of interest in judging others.

A loss of interest in judging self.

Gaining the ability to love without expecting anything in return.

[MajestyJo]

USING TRUST AND LOVE - I CHANGE AND GROW INTO HIGHER AND BETTER THINGS."

We are aware that blaming and arguing never helps us and only creates a wider gap between us, and that only understanding, trust and love can help us change and grow.

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Learning to trust myself has been a long and difficult journey for me. Even though I was told many years ago, "If you doubt yourself, you are doubting God!" Yet when the old tapes play, when people project their thoughts and feelings onto me, and I push the play button and give up my power, then I put myself in a place of mistrust, doubt and low self-worth.

Someone can't put me down unless I allow them to, they can't have the power unless I give it up, and today, thanks to the program, I can pause and take and inventory and prioritize my life and redirect my actions.

Today I know that God is love, that all He wants for me is love and goodness, and that my purpose is to carry that message to others.

In the past I was always told, "Who are you to say? Who are you to know? What makes you think..." In today it isn't about what others think, say and do, it is about my recovery. My serenity and sobriety (soundness of mind) is what has to come first.

I have to learn to listen for and trust that voice within. i had to learn to believe that God loved me and that He directed people, places and things into my life to show me a better way of living, so long as I follow that way, I have nothing to fear. I can walk in faith and know and trust that God is with me.

From my site JoAnne's Spiritual Journey

I had to get out of my own way and allow my God to work through me, instead of around me. I had to trust, without trust, there is nothing to build a relationship on.

[MajestyJo]

"Just A Little Talk With Jesus"



I once was lost in sin but Jesus took me in

And then a little light from heaven filled my soul

He bathed my heart in love and wrote my name above

And just a little talk with my Jesus made me whole

(Now let us) have a little talk with Jesus (let us) tell him all about our troubles

(He will) hear our faintest cry (and we will) answer by and by

(Now when you) feel a little pray'r wheel turning

(Then you'll) know a little fire is burning

(You will) find a little talk with Jesus makes it right

[ piano ]

(Now let us) have a little talk...

[ piano ]

I may have doubts and fears my eyes be filled with tears

But Jesus is a friend who watches day and night

I go to him in prayer he knows my every care

And just a little talk with my Jesus gonna makes it right

(Now let us) have a little talk...

(Makes it right)




It doesn't matter what name we call our Higher Power, but we can't go far wrong in stopping to have a little talk with ...

This is a spiritual program.

www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/swii/swii-II.htm